A New World
by EmmWebb
Summary: A young translator is sent to Japan to help a retired Captain learn Japanese. Suddenly she finds herself thrown into the middle of a war and caught in a place she never imagined.. Who does she find to dry her tears and hold her close?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

**I don't own any of this- except for Anna of course! Thanks for starting to read this, and tell me if it's actually worth continuing or not… This is my first try at a Last Samurai fic, so it won't be _perfect_; but I always have room for tips and ideas!**

**Note: Original dialogue or whatever in Japanese is underlined, so everything's in English... Tell me if you think it'd be better a different way. **

The blue waves of the ocean once again awoke Anna Harper as she lay in her small bed. With a soft groan she rolled onto her back. She hadn't exactly become used to the constant churning of the ship yet; and Japan couldn't come to her sooner. But she was doing her duty to her country, to England; and she would have to risk nausea every once in a while if she was going to get the job done.

Outside of her small porthole the sky was a dangerous gray. The first time she had seen it, about a week ago, it had worried her. Yet now it was just another part of her journey; hopefully one that would be grounded soon. Anna wasn't exactly one that was crazy about the water.

Anna pulled on a dress as she tried to make herself as presentable as possible. The cobalt trim on the dress matched her eyes and the rest was a soft baby blue. It wasn't an overly expensive dress; but it wasn't one that a middle class person would wear. It was always a philosophy of her father's that if you had money you should show it. This concept was slowly but surely becoming one of Anna's own.

It must have been night when Anna walked out onto the deck of the large boat. There was a rumbling of thunder was in the distance, and a small flash of lightening could be seen hopping from cloud to cloud on the horizon. When she reached the railing she noticed the flecks of stars reflected by the dark water. It was beautiful in a way… One that she had never explored before. A shiver ran down her spine as a breeze blew past her. It blew through her dress and chilled her skin; blowing strands of strawberry blonde bangs into her eyes. Yes, she knew how to speak the Japanese language; but her father had always told her that the country had a mysterious sense to it. Somehow Anna couldn't help but be excited at the thought of an adventure.

…

There was a pause the first time Anna laid eyes on Japan. Of course she had seen pictures. Her father had shown them to her himself. But the country was so much more beautiful in person. Time seemed to stop, and Anna would never forget the image of how green the grass was, seeing mountains in the distance, and actually seeing some of the Japanese residents for the first time. This pause did not last long enough though; soon she snapped back into reality as she heard her name being called over and over again.

"Miss Harper," A slightly short and round man had his hands cupped around his mouth as he called to her. His red hair was neatly combed to the side and every moment or so he would have to adjust his glasses. "Miss Harper!" Anna raised her head slightly to acknowledge him, and then rushed down the ramp with both arms full of luggage.

"Oh, there you are, love. I was beginning to think you're father had sent you to Singapore instead." The man joked, laughing at himself for a moment before realizing that Anna wasn't laughing along. He cleared his throat. "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Simon Graham, and you're father is a former colleague of mine."

Anna stood in silence briefly before responding. "Oh… Umm, that's nice." There was another awkward moment. "Are you the one I'm here to help translate for?" She asked; she had not been given much detail when her father informed her of her job. She wasn't exactly supposed to talk about what she was doing.

Simon chuckled. "Heavens no. I'm actually quite fluent in the language myself," He informed her, turning slightly to call for a carriage. "You'll be helping Captain Nathan Algren… Although I must say I was quite surprised to see you step off of that ship. You're father said that he would be sending a talented apprentice of his, but I would have never dreamed that you would be the one."

Anna's face became red with embarrassment and slight anger. She was tired of people underestimating her abilities just because she was a woman. "You'll be glad to know then that I'm also quite fluent in the language; almost as much as my father is." The thought of her father's quick tongue helped to calm her; she had grown up practically speaking the two languages. Simon took her bags and placed them into the carriage, never noticing her change of mood.

"Yes; yes I am."

…

Delicate women in long, beautiful kimonos seemed to surround Anna. She had been aware of the clothes that the natives would be wearing, but once more the actual sight of everyone around her was anything but boring. Simon had insisted that she practice her casual Japanese while being shown to her hotel room. Anna was convinced that he wouldn't have done such a thing for a male interpreter.

"Thank you." Anna said to her 'bag boy' before she shut the door, turning to survey her place for the night. Simon had said that tomorrow she would be taken to her new home and meet the Captain; and if Anna thought about it long enough butterflies began to form in her stomach. This really _wasn't_ a job for women; but once Anna had her mind set on the job she could be quite stubborn. Being raised as an only child with only a father could do that to a girl. Her father had learned what the consequences could be of Anna not getting her way.

"Did you enjoy your stay?" Simon asked Anna. He gestured to the carriage outside as the young attendant delivered her bags. Anna nodded briefly before carefully sitting down.

"It was- quiet." Anna explained, picking up the paper menu that was written in Japanese. She wasn't as quick in oriental writing as she was the language. She took a glance around her and leaned over to whisper to Simon. "Don't you ever get tired of eating rice?" She asked. She had always had variations to her meals each day.

"Oh, no." Simon laughed. "There are always other things to eat; but rice is of course the favorite around here. I should think you would know that."

Anna sat back into her chair and forced her eyes onto the intricate characters on the menu before her. So maybe she didn't know _everything_ about the country. But if this Nathan Algren wanted to be able to recite an English novel in Japanese, she was the person he needed. Simon proceeded to order for himself and took it into his duty to order for Anna too.

"So, how old are you now Anna? I remember the last time I saw you; you were only a little tyke; stumbling around at your father's heels." Simon let out another crack of light laughter. "You were quite the daddy's little angel, I must say."

Anna glanced up from the table. "Oh, thank you… Nineteen a few months ago."

"My, my; aren't you due to be whisked off and married now?" Simon asked, accepting the green tea that he had ordered moments before. "I would have thought that you would have been bid off sooner than now; your father being so high up and all."

Once again Anna didn't respond. There had been a few proposals to her in the past; a duke or two and such. Each time she would find a way to wriggle out of it. The idea of being married to an old man didn't exactly appeal to Anna. This trip to Japan was yet another plot to get out of the entanglement of yet another engagement plan.

After a long pause of silence and delicately eating; Simon spoke. He coughed into a handkerchief before looking at his watch. "I do say it's about time for us to leave… You need to be settled into your new home and meet Captain Algren." He informed her. Not long after that had they left to lead Anna into her new place in the world.

**A/N: I know it was a little short; but I thought it might be good for a first try ;). I do have a plan for this, so tell me if I should continue it or if it's so bad I should just kill it… Thanks!**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

**A/N: Hey, thanks for the review tomatojuice, Halfmoonglasses, and Hanjelyka87! I needed the encouragement to see if I should continue or not… If any of you guys read this, please review and tell me what you think! I'm running off to go turn on the anonymous review now, wink wink.!**

Anna had forgotten where she was when Simon's voice brought her back to reality for the second time. Not that she had ever known where she was; but after staring off into the beautiful and exotic scenery, she was lost in her imagination. This was something that sometimes happened often; occasionally she would be stuck alone in her house with nothing to do.

"Ah, finally… We're here." Simon informed her, the carriage coming around the corner of a large hill. Anna tried to sit taller as she peered around the thinning forest to see her new home. What she saw surprised her.

At the bottom of the hill was a field that was lined with uniformed people… People who Anna couldn't help but assume were men. They were slightly disorganized, and some men were screaming at them in a circus of languages. After a few moments Anna realized that what they had in their hands were guns… And apparently the Captain wasn't retired at all.

…

"What am I doing here?" Anna asked aloud as she and Simon made their ways down a path towards the crowd of men.

"You are here to help Captain Algren with his Japanese."

"But can't you do that? You are fluent in the language." Anna protested. "I really don't think this is the place for a woman…"

Simon stopped and turned to look at her. "Then you and your father might have thought of that before sending you off." That was the end of that conversation.

"Captain Algren!" Simon called as he and Anna reached the front line of the soldiers, causing one of the yelling men to stop and turn. Anna stopped in her tracks for a moment as she assessed the man that she was supposed to be helping. He was unshaven with a small beard and mustache growing. His dark hair fell close to his shoulders and looked tangled in places. This Captain reminded Anna of the drunks that visited her father every now and then.

The man turned and walked towards the two. "Mr. Graham," He greeted Simon, then looked over at Anna curiously. "Who is this?"

Simon nodded as if he had been about to introduce her. "Ah, this is Anna Harper; Omura ordered you an advanced translator." He explained as a smirk spread across Algren's face.

"I'm sorry… But a _woman_?" Captain Algren asked, raising an eyebrow. "It just seems a little dangerous."

Anna opened her mouth to answer as Simon answered for her. "I assure you she's the second best there is… She's only surpassed by her father, who happens to be needed." Anna glanced at him, aware that she _wasn't_ the best; as much as she would like to think so.

"Needed?"

"He's the English King's advisor." Simon informed him in a slightly bragging tone. "And a very talented linguist. It seems that the gene was passed down a generation."

Nathan nodded silently, and then turned to look at his 'army'. It would be a long time before he had them ready; translator or not. "I think I would rather have two hundred of you Miss Harper than a thousand of them."

Anna didn't respond for a moment, glancing at Algren. Of course it was a joke; but Anna had no clue what the nature of his statement was.

"Two hundred women. It's pretty bad when your army of a thousand can be beat by two hundred women."

…

Anna sat in her room, her small brown diary close to her as she began to write in it. Its pages were slightly stained and it wasn't in the best of shape, but she would prefer it to an expensive journal. She was writing pages of her feelings about her position… Her protest to being involved in what was destined to be a war. If her father knew about this- but what if he did, and he still sent her into danger? But it would partially be her fault; she would have left without his say-so.

Anna's train of thought was interrupted by quick and heavy footsteps in the hall. She raised her head curiously, cracking the sliding door to see who it was. A few seconds later she poked her head into the hall, noticing a distressed looking Algren making his way forcefully to his room.

"Captain," Anna said softly as he came closer. His room was almost directly across the room from hers. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine." Algren responded gruffly, approaching his door.

"Do you want to talk?"

"No." Algren answered sharply, slamming the sliding door shut. Anna jumped slightly, now wondering why she even asked.

…

"Ah, Miss Harper! It's due time you're up and ready." Simon greeted her as she made her way down the path. It was early morning, and the sun was just beginning to rise over the horizon. Only a handful of soldiers had shown up from the wake-up call only minutes earlier. "I would like to introduce you to General Hasegawa."

Anna paused, her hair pulled back in a low 'ponytail' that blew lightly in the cool breeze. "Oh, hello." She greeted an elderly looking man with frost colored hair.

"General, This is Anna Harper." Simon informed the older man, who only nodded to her in response. It was a curious thing that this man could actually 'speak' without talking. It was as if she knew exactly what the general was saying even though he had never done anything except a quick tilt of his head. Anna felt a sudden respect for the silent man before her.

…

"Enjoy it so far?" Algren asked as soon as Anna caught up with him. He was currently pacing back and forth in front of the handful of soldiers that had come so far.

Anna glanced over at him. He was her 'boss' now after all. She would have to tread lightly until she knew how he would react to certain situations; which meant not to bring up the night before incase it did turn out to make him angry. "I did… It was a surprising day for me."

Algren nodded, continuing to survey his troops. A small smirk flashed across his face. "I probably didn't help it much." That was his apology. Anna didn't realize until a few minutes later; but by that time almost the entire 'army' had assembled in their slightly sloppy fashion.

"Oi, Capt 'n, top of the mornin' to ye." Another older looking man greeted Algren. He had thick snowy hair that fell into curls, along with a bushy mustache the matched in color. "And, eh, lass."

The smile reappeared on Algren's face as this man spoke to Anna. He took it into his own to introduce her. "Zeb; this is Anna Harper. She's the new translator Omura sent us."

Grant eyed her for a moment, as if it were a joke that she was a woman. "Harper, eh? Name's Grant, Zebulah Grant." The man explained to her, holding out his hand. Anna took it; being shaken vigorously by the rough palm before she was let go. The question of 'new' translator crossed her mind, but she once again thought it best not to ask.

"What do you think about them today, sergeant?" Algren asked, although he sounded amused. Grant looked like he would go crazy; throwing his hands in the air and rolling his eyes.

"Scraggly," Was all he growled before yelling at the men. "You good-for-nothing dogs! Disgraceful!" He roared, as Algren looked over to Anna expectantly.

"Are you going to translate or not?"

Anna blinked. "Actually, I'm just supposed to be helping with your _learning_ Japanese. Mr. Graham said you had someone else who-"

"Shot." Algren stated, looking back over them. A sickening feeling fell into the pit of Anna's stomach and a pang of fear bolted through her. Shot… What was she getting herself into? "He was shot during a routine firing drill. And in no way do I intend to learn Japanese."

Anna paused before looking back out into the crowd of men. If she didn't do a good job and didn't please them, she would probably be sent home. She glanced back at Algren. Maybe home was the safest place for her now. Honestly, she could admit that her father was right about her stubbornness. But then again, the Duke of Brittany was probably awaiting an answer from his proposal… "You no-good dirty dogs, you're disgraceful!" She said uncertainly. Algren tilted back his head and laughed, while wondering if even the soldier closest to them heard her command.

"Miss Harper, let me remind you that we are an army, not a class of kids."

Grant decided to chime in. "Ay, I know ye can be louder than that." He encouraged her, a playful smile behind his curtain of a mustache. "Don't worry about being proper here, Miss. These men wouldn't know either way."

Anna nodded softly as she turned to face the large group of men. She closed her eyes for a moment, thinking back to when she used to yell out and run throughout the fields; playing. She would find another child to frolic with while she slipped out of her father's grasp… Although his 'grasp' was actually very loose back then. That was a _long_ time ago. "You no-good, filthy dogs! This is a _disgrace_! _Straight_ lines!"

Nothing happened.

Anna looked over at the two men, feeling sorry and embarrassed that nothing had happened. Maybe being a woman changed things after all.

The confused troops suddenly started to react as if they were slugs. First the men on the front row; taking a few steps here and there; and in a matter of about thirty seconds they had formed neat rows. A smile of accomplishment spread across Anna's face, as Algren gave her an 'I-told-you-so' glance.

"Tell them that even though you're a woman that they're still to answer to you like they would a sergeant." Algren advised her, receiving a nod in response. "With respect."

"Listen; you will report to me like you would Sergeant Grant. With respect!" Anna shouted, feeling a wave of triumph rush over her; even though she was pretty sure that the last few rows of men could hear nothing that she had said.

…

Drills. One after another, Anna wondered if Algren and Grant would ever take a break from the constant events. Then again, the soldiers needed it; bad. Algren continued to run different firing and accuracy drills, and Grant continued to bark orders at the men. Anna's confidence continued to jump each time she would translate a command and shout it to the fleet. It actually seemed like the men listened to her.

A break for dinner was not established until late that night. They skipped lunch. It was an hour these men could use for training they desperately had to have.

"That was… Eventful." Anna thought aloud. "If I may say so." She added. Although Grant had made it clear that it didn't matter her she acted; Anna couldn't stand to be impolite. She had to uphold her lady-like status, after all.

"Of course," Simon replied, looking down at his bowl of what looked like pig's food. Grant took a large spoonful of his own and shoved it into his mouth.

"Yea, they seemed to know generally what direction to point the guns in." Grant muttered between another spoon of the broth. "Stupid. That's all I have to say about it."

Anna glanced at a few of the men, who immediately turned away as if they had never noticed her. "Ye did warm up to the spot well; quicker than others. Especially considering that ye probably aren't used to screaming yer head off." Grant complimented her as she studied the table of soldiers that continued to peek over at her. The same occurrence happened twice before she spoke.

"Why are they looking over here?" She asked curiously, looking to Simon for the answer. He was the only one who would probably know. Grant shrugged out of the corner of her eyes.

"Miss Harper, you have to understand that these men have just about never seen a European," Simon glanced at Algren, "Or American before. Much less a blonde woman such as yourself." He explained, referring to her fair hair and eye color. "You're exotic to them."

Anna looked back to the same table; and as she did so she wondered if they were showing her respect for a different reason than she thought.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

**A/N: Thank you so much for reviewing! It gives me something to work for, and I'm glad to know that I'm doing a good job. Tell me if you have any suggestions; and don't worry, our favorite characters will be in the plot pretty soon.**

Almost two weeks later, and the routine still hadn't changed.

Waking up well before dawn, staying out all day, not eating dinner until late night; the almost constant screaming caused Anna to develop a raspy voice the first week until her vocal cords became used to the stress. Somehow Anna was now able to keep a quiet tone at night; and if she rested well for the few hours of sleep, then her voice would be as normal and smooth as it usually would. Until that night, when her throat was sore and she wasn't able to speak much. And yet the cycle continued.

Anna had become used to Grant and his blunt ways. She found him entertaining, and he kept her busy during the day. He was also one of the only things that kept her from going mad. He was crazy, and reminded her of her father years back. Back when he didn't mind actually having fun with Anna. She could have been dealt a hard childhood if he hadn't had his personality; which gradually trickled away over the years. Being around Grant's quick mouth made her comfortable although she was in the face of training an army.

Captain Algren surprisingly understood Anna. She had no clue how, or even if he did it for everyone, but above anyone else she trusted him. It was this and the mystery about him that intrigued her. She was yet to find out what happened that first night she was at the camp. A time or two she considered telling him some of her secrets; some that she would ponder at night and wondered what someone else would think. She would always stop at the last second. Besides, she knew nothing of his past, and doubted that anyone else besides himself did either. Sometimes his reactions to things were unpredictable… But Anna was sure that if she knew even a fraction of what had happened to him before she came to know him that it would all make sense.

Anna had met this Omura man and the Colonel Bagley two or three times since she had arrived. Omura was a slightly short man, dressed in an English looking suit and talked matter-of-factly. He seemed to be thinking behind the scenes of what was truly going on. Anna had only been face to face with Bagley once; and even then it was as if she was invisible. He wouldn't speak to her, which gave Anna enough time to observe the strong distaste that Algren seemed to have for the man.

"Fire!" Anna commanded as Grant did so, the army responding pitifully. Grant groaned so loudly and fiercely that one soldier looked over to him fearfully. He reminded Anna of a lion. She was about to open her mouth in a silent laugh when she noticed two figures just at the end of the trail that led up the side of the small valley. Omura stood beside Bagley, who promptly called Algren's name.

"Captain Algren! General; Sergeant! A word!" He called, as Grant looked warily to Algren. Algren only returned with a tightening of his jaw; then walking to the two men beside Grant and Hasegawa. Anna decided to tag along.

"Hello gentlemen." Bagley greeted them. Anna noticed that he said nothing of a female. "We have some important news."

Omura cleared his throat and began to speak. "Katsumoto has attacked one of the new additions to the railroad… If this continues, it will seriously risk Japan's chance of modernization." Anna didn't understand much of the rest that the man said, as she began to let her mind wander. Katsumoto… This was the name of the Samurai leader. Algren had been learning of him for some time, considering that this was the man they would be fighting.

"We have decided to place an attack on Katsumoto and the Samurai army." Bagley informed them, receiving a surprised expression from each of the commanders besides General Hasegawa. Algren's face began to become tighter into a glare.

"These men aren't ready." Algren protested, standing his ground. Bagley looked at him as if he were about to laugh. Apparently Algren would have no say in this matter.

"The Samurai won't wait for us to be ready, Captain." Bagley said nonchalantly, looking over the four people in front of him. Anna felt it was the first time he saw her, although she was just about completely hidden behind Grant and Algren. "You should go pack your things; all of you."

Algren stood his ground. "This is suicide."

"Pack your things Captain."

"Miss Harper," Algren spoke to Anna without taking his eyes off of Bagley. "You're not needed anymore."

A smirk crossed Bagley's face, like his next 'move' would guarantee him his victory. "On the contrary. Your services are required now that combat is being placed."

"What! She's a woman; the battlefield is not her place." Algren argued, as Anna looked to the ground silently. She had a feeling that a heated 'discussion' was about to happen.

"It will take too long to find another translator, and the attack must be placed as soon as possible… Besides, Miss Harper had the choice to accept or decline the offer." Bagley countered. "And if she does not attend, she will receive no pay." Anna's jaw slacked only slightly, now speechless. She needed that money; for things that her father wouldn't pay for. After a few moments of silence she spoke.

"I'll go." She answered, her eyes trailing from the ground at her feet to the field of soldiers below. What had she gotten herself into? She could feel Grant's look of disbelief on her; and she was still looking sheepish when she glanced up and noticed how Algren's features were tangled with anger and frustration. He stormed by them and headed towards the army.

It was now quiet, as Omura and Bagley seemed to be caught up in studying the fleet Algren had trained. Anna stared off into the gently swaying trees, unable to believe that she was being thrown into a battle with Samurai… Or any other kind of army. Maybe they wouldn't find the Samurai, there would be no battle, and she could just go home.

Anna's gaze slowly moved to Omura and Bagley. Then, suddenly, a gunshot rang over the valley. Anna had grown accustomed to the sound of guns; and had unsurprisingly become a part of her everyday routine. This shot, though, was different. Quickly she turned to see a somehow frightening sight. Algren; with his gun drawn, pointing it at a soldier. Graham was yelling at the man to shoot Algren, who every second or two of delay would shoot somewhere close to the man. A threat; but more of a test Anna realized as she continued to watch.

After somewhere around a minute the man finally shot; and came no where near his target. Algren dropped his aim and swept passed the group once more, muttering his point to Bagley. "They're not ready."

Anna watched him walk off, still in shock.

…

Each piece of clothing was like being pierced through the heart. Not that Anna knew what that felt like; just a pang of worry and fear shot through her each time she folded a dress or another garment and packed it into a case that would hold her absolute necessities. Of course some of hers didn't match the list… But she would make them fit.

It was getting later and later into the evening; and the sun had set a long time before Anna finally accepted the fact that she would be leaving. She had to open her curtains and operate by moonlight; but it just fit the atmosphere better. Thick streaks of silver fell on the hard wood floor.

At the bottom of the pile, Anna's fingertips brushed across a thin rough leather cover. A shiver ran up her arm and down her back. She really couldn't think about her diary at the moment; she had so much to do… Not to mention to at least try to mentally prepare herself for what she might go through in a few days. It was nauseating.

"Holding up ok?"

Anna jumped, jerking her head to the side to see her 'captain' in the doorway. Without response she turned back around, still silent. She hadn't seen him since earlier that day, when they had been informed of being 'sent out'. Gently she straightened out a few wrinkles in some of her packed clothes. "I'm fine."

Algren walked cLoser to her, what looked like his own clothes in his arms. "I don't believe it."

"I am."

"These are for your traveling… You know, we have to ride a horse and all." He set the clothes down carefully on the table. Algren's eyes grazed over the diary, noticing how old and worn it looked. Nothing that would match what little he knew about Anna so far. Just about the only words she spoke in were Japanese. "Is that an antique?" He had a feeling that she was devastated by the news… The least he could do was make conversation.

"No, it's mine." Anna explained, now slightly more upset. "My father bought it for me a few years back… I didn't start using it until a few months ago, though." Algren nodded slowly as if he understood.

"He didn't used to be so; withdrawn." She continued, studying the face of the diary. "He had so much personality; so much happiness. Like life was worth living." She shook her head, as Algren continued to silently listen. "He wanted to buy me an expensive diary; you know the kind with the stationary and gold lined pages and a lock and all." She laughed lightly. "But I'm so stubborn… I don't know what I saw in this old thing."

"He sounds like a respectable man." Algren finally spoke, glancing over at Anna. She nodded.

"Respectable, yes… But he just faded. His color bled away." Anna sighed, at last able to pick up the small book and place it into her bag. "Now he's just worried with his work and his studies."

"So why didn't you just walk away today? It looked like the only reason you stayed was for the money; but you're already rich." Algren asked, now trying to figure out each piece of 'the puzzle'. Anna looked up at him uncomfortably.

"My father plans to just marry me off to the best eligible bachelor. But… I don't know, I guess it's my duty." Anna thought aloud, now wondering if Algren was either there or not. Then again, she was glad he wasn't asking too many questions and just letting her get her feelings out. "But I want to explore the world; maybe even move to America… He says I can go as long as I save enough money for myself. He doesn't think I can do it."

"Ah." This was the only response Algren gave, before fully comprehending what she had said. "You did seem a _little_ old for an English girl…" Anna didn't even bother to look at him angrily. Tears continued to build in her eyes as she thought about it.

"But I'd rather be married to an old man than never see my father again." She managed, somehow able to keep herself from crying. Sure, she may actually be having a conversation with him; but Anna in no way could lose herself now. She would rather have the boring, busy father she had now than cause him even more pain by having herself killed. She was practically the only family he had left.

He had found it… The reason she had been so upset. That and the fact that she might face a horribly painful death in a few days. "Don't worry about it Miss Harper; Anna." He tried his best to use a soothing voice. The last time he had… Well, he couldn't exactly remember. He cleared his throat. Crying women weren't really his thing. "I promise you you'll get to see your father again."

…

It was just before dawn when the horses were starting to be loaded. The sky was a lovely lilac color; but the last time Anna had stopped to enjoy such things was when she was a child. She was nervously pacing back and forth, as soldiers geared the handful of horses that the higher rankings would ride.

"Oi, lass, fine mornin', eh?" Grant asked, reviewing the land and the soldiers whom were already awake. Every few minutes another group would arrive and help load the supplies; although they weren't any more skilled at this than they were at fighting a battle. "Well, besides all of the facts." Anna looked up at Grant, a weak smile appearing on her face.

…

Anna didn't know how Grant could walk so far.

She was already tired and even _slightly_ sore after a few hours of riding; but he had been walking the entire time. Apparently Omura had forgotten her horse; or so that's what was said. Anna wasn't sure if she believed it or not. Grant, though, talked her into riding his. Well, actually, more like forcing her to ride it. The man wouldn't take no for an answer this time.

They reached 'camp' just on the break of nightfall.

"We'll set camp here," Bagley commanded, turning his horse and dismounting. The clearing was just large enough for almost the entire group to fit. They were surrounded by the forest, which made Anna slightly uneasy about the fact that the Samurai knew the land better than they did. She would have to force the thought out of her mind if she wanted to get enough sleep to function the next day.

Soldiers laid out their small sleeping-bags, those who had them, and the higher rankings set their tents. After a while it was obvious that no one would bother to help Anna with her accommodations. Slowly she dismounted and tried to comprehend how to make a tent out of all the random supplies she had been given.

"Oi, what're ye doin'?" Grant asked her roughly, but not in a negative tone. He sounded more amused with her dilemma than anything else. Without another word he had taken control and 'pushed' her out of the way.

"Ye have to string this just right; it goes around that branch there." Grant nodded his head towards a nearby tree as he demonstrated how it was supposed to be done. A complicated knot held one side of the tent up; until he could do the same to the opposite. "And then yer done." He surveyed his work, an entertained smirk on his face. "Ye know Bagley hadn't wanted such mess as tents; but I guess someone convinced him otherwise." Anna merely nodded, glancing over to the Colonel's tent. Gradually she was starting to understand why Algren despised him.

"If ye need anything, the Captain and I are just a few paces over." Grant informed her over his shoulder as he walked to their tent, tied to two trees a small distance away. "Probably won't sleep tonight; unless dreamin' about killin' a few samurai."

Anna only slept a few hours that night.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

**A/N: Thanks so much for reviewing! It's good to know that someone's reading this and enjoying it. Plus, I'm glad to know that I'm doing a good job. I didn't really expect it! If you have any ideas, drop a review! Thanks!**

The horn sounded just too early for Anna.

She hadn't gotten much sleep the night before… Being worried about her father, herself, and her new acquaintances took up too much of the time. She yawned and stretched, rolling over and almost hitting the tree beside her tent. After a few of what might be her last moments of rest, she climbed out of her tent and pulled her hair back with a tie that she had borrowed from a soldier.

It could have just as well been midnight. Anna had no idea how long it was before sunrise; but she knew she wouldn't mind sleeping until then. The trees looked even more ghostly in the dark; casting long and twisted shadows with whatever light was there. No one else seemed to notice, however, since they were all busy packing what little they had brought besides military weapons.

It took Anna a matter of five minutes to gather all of her things; just her diary and one of her coats to keep her warm. She hadn't brought anything else; it was actually more than they were supposed to bring, but she didn't think she would get in trouble.

"Need help?" Anna looked over her shoulder to see Algren already untying her tent ropes, somehow easily undoing the complicated knots that Grant had made for her. "Have a good night?"

"It was long." She answered, looking over the tent at Algren. He nodded.

He spoke as if he was a philosopher. "A long march. And then a battle. A new enemy, but the same feeling I have every battle-- men will die here, today, and will I be one of them?" He said aloud, as if reciting. "It's the same thing every time; narrowly escaping death. Barely winning. This will be a hard fight."

Anna didn't say anything else as fear began to set deep within her somewhere; and she couldn't help but think that something terribly wrong may happen.

…

The soldiers had wound up a steep mountain pass; but Anna couldn't think of anything but death. Dying; she wasn't ready… But she knew it wouldn't wait for her to be ready. What if it just came out of nowhere? With no warning, with nothing for her to leave behind but what she had done so far. It was then that she realized that's how death was; like a test to see how successful your life really was.

They finally stopped at another mountain clearing, a thick fog surrounding them like a silver veil falling over the old and beautiful trees. Thick leaves of a deep green were a low roof above them; the trees tightly together besides the opening they had halted within. A few large oaks dotted the inside of their cage; a walled pen that men would probably die in that day. Algren broke her hypnotic state.

"Miss Harper- ask the General how the samurai plan to attack."

Anna glanced at Algren, translating the request to General Hasegawa. The General nodded and explained their tactics to her.

"He says they will come straight on, push forward and keep attacking…" She paused, looking up to Algren. "He says there is no samurai word for retreat." Anna could feel a cold rush through her body as she said so, and there was another break for a moment as the General seemed to perk up. He spoke almost silently to Anna; who fearfully relayed the information to Algren. Her voice almost cracked as she barely whispered the words.

"He says they're coming."

…

Colonel Bagley's voice caused Anna to jump in fright. The flight of a bird, or a twitch of a squirrel's tail; anything that might signal some kind of assault made her almost spin around in terror. No one seemed to be amused this time; as long as Bagley was now around. Anna hadn't quite figured out why yet, but she had hunch that it had something to do with his personality. "Captain, have you stationed soldiers to guard the supplies?"

Algren looked confused at his inquiry, but only turned his head slightly to answer. The supply train was at the very back of the fleet, away from danger. "Yes."

"Who is overseeing them?"

"No one."

Algren's face immediately tensed for a moment, adjusting his weight in the saddle. He knew where this was heading.

"Mr. Graham, will you accompany me to the supply train? We don't want it to be the subject of a surprise attack." Bagley turned his horse, as Graham happily complied. They were gone within mere seconds; heading towards the supply train like this was something like procedure and not a cowardly act. Algren and Bagley both knew that a surprise hit on the supply train was very unlikely.

"I'm going to kill him." Algren muttered as Grant cursed under his breath.

"A waste of good ammo." Grant responded to his remark, his words the last sounds that faded into an eerie silence. Slowly he began to check his two revolvers, the small clicking of the chambers sounding like thunder ringing off the wall of fog before them.

Minutes later a weightless snow began to fall, only a few small snowflakes falling slower than Anna had ever seen. The tiny fairies floated to the ground and disappeared, only to be replaced by another delicate ice flower. It was a mesmerizing dance that seemed to have been coordinated from the beginning of time. If Anna wasn't so fearful for her life then she would have been encased in another one of Japan's ancient beauties.

Algren began to speak to Anna quietly once more, his eyes not moving from the direction he believed his enemies to be coming from. "Miss Harper, do you see that tree behind you?" He asked; confusing Anna as to how he could have any idea it was there. She turned slightly and bobbed her head. "Stay close to that tree."

"That- tree…" Anna turned back around. "But Captain, Bagley ordered me to-"

"Do you seriously believe that I care what Bagley says?" Algren interrupted her, barely squinting his eyes to try and focus on an image he thought he saw in the fog. It disappeared, proving itself to be an optical illusion that he had developed from not looking away from the silver mist.

Anna was reluctant to leave, for a reason she didn't know. "Captain…"

"That's an order Miss Harper," Algren finally turned his eyes away from their station to give her a serious and somewhat dangerous look. "An order."

Anna glanced at the glistening blanket and back to Algren, then nodding in respect. She slowly backed up a few feet, her final destination beside the tree that she had tied Grant's horse to. It nudged her shoulder gently, then stomped its hoof. Even the animals seemed to feel the anxiety that was continuously building.

Suddenly there was a noise; one that Anna found vaguely familiar as if it was embedded into the back of her mind from experience. She realized it was the sound of horses. A fixed solid rumble could be heard beyond the wall of vision, becoming louder and louder as it came in their direction. Scores of steeds, galloping like a storm through the sky. Soldiers were literally shaking with fear; and Anna shared the same problem. Her arms and knees were trembling as she reached out one hand to rest on the tree and steady herself.

The sound stopped.

The stillness was shattered by a whispering that at first Anna didn't understand. After a few moments she realizes it is the close to voiceless soldiers, saying prayers in to their known and even unknown gods. Another voice eased itself into the mix.

"Sergeant Grant, order them into staggered firing position." Algren spoke, rising slightly onto his toes in the stirrups. It may be a quick attack; or not. All he knew was that he was about to have another adrenaline rush that comes with each battle. Grant repeated the phrase, holding one of his revolvers up to a firing state.

"Staggered firing position!" Anna shakily translated, unsure like the first time she ever tried, if the soldiers in the back could hear and understand her. She was now clinging to the tree with one arm, somehow able to still stand through the quivering she was involuntarily going through. The soldiers slowly prepared to fire, the first row sinking into a kneeling position and the second standing behind them. Anna didn't know how to stand the agonizing tension.

Anna didn't know who saw it first; her or Algren; but a figure slowly formed in the fog. It looked like some kind of ancient beast- on horseback and gliding like a ghost. He wore an intricate, horned helmet and flowing samurai armor. No colors were present, and all Anna could see was the haunting silhouette in the fog, like something from a terrible nightmare. Slowly another appeared, and then another, until unimaginable numbers stood in front of them. Anna, and the Imperial Army, were terrified.

The soldiers stood petrified, gawking at the samurai or dropping to their knees and praying. One fainted from the overwhelming pressure. Grant orders them to hold the line; seconds later Anna translated it with difficulty. She didn't think they heard her, but it didn't matter much. They didn't care for much of any kind of orders, especially ones given by a woman. They held their positions.

As if a mute and blind signal were gave, the army started to charge with such intensity beyond Anna's understanding. The horses' hooves pounded the ground without pity, and the men let out battle cries that chilled the blood. Polished metal spears and swords flashed ominously in the silver lighting.

Algren roared for them to fire.

Anna screamed the translation and pulled herself against the tree, her conscious shrieking at her to hide, run; anything to get as far away from this place as possible. Soldiers everywhere were fumbling with their guns, some panicking and running away. It was complete and utter chaos.

Algren tried once more to command the soldiers to hold the line, but it was too late. The Samurai attack with such power that Anna knew she would be haunted for the rest of her life; even if her life only last a few more minutes. Those soldiers who tried to flee were run through with a spear or cut in half with a sword. Those who tried to reload their guns clumsily were showered with a swarm of samurai arrows.

It was then that Algren began to command the retreat. A man sounded the bugle, and the army began to withdraw; and not in a leisurely manner. Anna sighed, already scarred from the bodies that already encircled her. She began to stand when she heard cries from the rear of the fleet; and it was then that they realized they were surrounded. Algren and Grant began to try and call orders, but it was no use. Soon it was every man for himself.

The battle was soon everywhere, and there was no way to avoid it. Anna threw herself behind the tree, now unable to distinguish Algren and Grants voices from the terrible, terrible sounds of battle. Blood was inescapable; it was on her clothes, she could taste it; it burned her skin. It was anywhere she looked, and everywhere bodies were collapsing to the ground. Men, soldiers she had known somewhat, died in front of her in cries of sheer pain. In a panicking state she clasped her hands over her ears and sank to the ground, as close to the large tree as humanly possible.

Grant's horse was still tied to the tree next to her, although it was obvious it wouldn't be for long. He was shielding her from one side as he bucked and reared in horror, and Anna dreaded the moment that he broke his bounds or fell lifeless to the ground beside of her. He was all that was keeping her hidden; keeping her safe. She wasn't ready for this.

The howls- of pain, death, frustration, even victory; filled the air. They caused Anna to open her eyes and try to analyze her surroundings, if she was in danger or not. Of course she was in danger; she was in the heart of a civil battle, but she hadn't been noticed so far. Bodies continued to land around her, men falling with cries of excruciating pain. The worst, though, were the men who fell without making noise as they tried to; but each soldier fell a little to close for comfort. She pressed herself as close to the tree as possible, trying to become invisible. No one _had _noticed her so far; and now maybe being a woman wasn't such a bad thing…

Each samurai wore his own vibrantly colored armor. A variety of flags gracefully floated through the air as some samurai dashed around the grounds, killing people instantly with a single flick of the swords in their wrists. Anna had heard the General speak of these weapons; katanas, juttes, and yumi; but she wasn't a weapons expert. All she knew was that they were fatal in the possession of these men.

Deathly nausea began to set into Anna; and she peered around the tree to try and escaped the images that would be etched into her mind for eternity. As she did so she witness a samurai in black armor collide into Algren; somehow managing to stay mounted as Algren and his horse were knocked to the ground. She gasped, unable to scream as she clung to the tree. Another samurai came towards him, charging with a balanced spear and aiming for his target. Anna clenched her eyes closed, opening them seconds later just in time to see Algren flip the rider onto the ground and kill him with his own spear.

Through this battle Anna noticed an unmoving figure; that at first she suspected was already dead. He was still mounted on his horse, and was wearing a black mask along with a horned helmet He had been the first samurai she had seen; and she studied him now as he stared at the passionately fighting Algren.

A flash of yellow blew past Anna, causing her to whip around in time to see the samurai pierce Grant's horse with an arrow. The horse screamed in even worse terror; snapping his leather tying and trying to escape. He was promptly killed by a spear in his chest, knocking the horse to the ground alongside the tree. The yellow samurai continued to shoot fatal arrows, each one killing its target with ease. Her eyes nervously followed him, as he sped around towards the other side of the tree; where the battle was fiercer and actually taking place. She watched two of his arrows, as if in slow motion, hit Grant in the chest and knock him to the ground. It felt as if those arrows hit her too; the feeling of a lion tearing through her heart instantly sank her back into her original position.

The rest of the army was cut down easily; those who were still trying to escape were hunted like prey. Soon though, the sounds of the battle eased away by every kill; and all she could hear were a group on the other side of her alcove. Cautiously she barely peeked around the trunk, to see Algren fighting off a collection of samurai. He was surrounded and outnumbered by a dozen to one; but still fighting heroically.

Algren threw himself at one samurai, killing him before his shoulder is ripped by another samurai's lance. He growled and snapped the lance off, leaving part of the blade buried in his chest. Another samurai cuts his side, and yet another slices his forehead in such a way that blood began to run down his face and into his eyes. Anna thought she would faint from all the blood; but she had to survive. He had to survive.

As the circle began to close on him, Algren widened it by spinning around with the lance, a flag still hanging off the end of it. A white tiger was against a blue background on a ragged battle flag; that was blowing in the wind with the same fervor of life that Algren had. It seemed almost magical; and Anna observed that the masked samurai noticed this too.

There was silence, except for Algren's grunts as he spun around time and time again.

It was then that Anna noticed her diary; flung on the ground beside the dead horse and opened to a random page. She _had_ to get it; it was her father, everything she had. Her father. He was in the danger of a battle, and she had to save him…

Without another thought, she began crawling towards the small book. The samurai, unless dead, were beyond the other side of the tree; interest in Algren keeping their eyes glued to his style of combat. Or so she thought.

A victorious but small smile appeared across Anna's face as she grasped the book in one hand. At least she would protect something. Yet, as soon as it was securely in her grasp…

"Katsumoto."

She was abruptly picked up by her shoulders and thrown into the clearing, sliding a few feet on the ground and just a small distance away from Algren's circle of samurai. This was all done in one swift motion, and Anna let out a blood curling scream as it was done so. Everything seemed to stop; her hair that was pulled back now fell down as simply as the snow that had stopped falling some time earlier.

It was the black samurai, with his hair pulled back into a loosening top knot. As soon as he saw her his look of victory and accomplishment turned into surprise and disgust. "A woman."

Nothing could be heard; each samurai was trying to see if what he said was true. After a few moments, no one moved. "A woman should not be in the army," The samurai spat, withdrawing his long and lethal sword. Anna gasped, tears running through the new dirt on the sides of her face. "I'll kill her." He declared, raising his weapon. "Disgraceful." Anna continued to sob; praying in her mind for her to somehow, by some miracle, get out of this disaster. Just to be home. She would never take anything for granted again, she swore…

"Ujio." The black masked samurai pulled off his mask, calling the black-armored samurai by name. Apparently the masked samurai was highly respected; this could be told by the way samurai were gesturing around him. "Leave her be. She could be of use to us."

"Use?" The black-armored samurai asked as Anna looked to Algren's circle of samurai. Every pair of eyes in that clearing was on the woman soldier. "She has nothing to offer."

A stern expression formed on the masked samurai's face. "She can speak the western language; and ours." The leader spoke forcefully, but obviously used to the black samurai's evidently fiery nature. "And she is close to him." He referred to Algren casually. Before he could continued a groan was heard; and all eyes turned to Algren's circle of samurai once more. A crimson red samurai fell at Algren's, who was trapped on the ground, feet. Dead. Another samurai raised his sword at Algren, but was stopped just in time by a quick and strict command.

"He knows our enemy better than she does, but she is a quick way to him. Did you not see him commanding them? We need them both if we wish to win this war." The man finished explaining firmly, and each samurai stepped down. Anna could still feel the black samurai staring daggers at her, although his weapon was now sheathed. She looked to Algren to see if he was alright… And in bad shape. Their eyes met for a moment, and although Algren didn't know it, she believed they would be safe for the moment.

Another grunt was heard, as Grant stumbled towards this leader, his rifle cocked. A samurai leapt to his master's rescue; fatally cutting Grant's stomach. Blood instantly began to pour from his uniform, and Anna cried out in agony. Grant fell to his knees, trying to hold his insides within him… He fell over. Grant was dead.

Tears once more began to stream down Anna's cheeks. She was pitiful, but didn't care much about holding herself together at the moment. Grant was dead. The one man who reminded her of her father, her _good _father, and she couldn't protect him. She couldn't save him. Grant was _dead_.

A painful yell was heard, causing Anna and Algren both to look back over the battlefield. Injured and captured soldiers were being slaughtered with one stroke of a samurai's sword; scouts, like this Ujio had been, finishing off the rest of the army. Ujio finally left her side coldly, making his way over to Algren. He seized the exhausted Algren by his shoulders and pulled him to his feet. Algren, although unable to, tried to weakly pull away. He somehow wriggled out of one of Ujio's grasps before Anna realized that he didn't understand Japanese.

"Captain," She managed in a choky voice, although Algren didn't respond. "Captain! Nathan." The idea came to her as soon as his title didn't work. How she remembered his first name she would never know… Maybe studying really was good for one's mind. He looked over at her wearily. "Nathan, it's alright. We're alright."

The samurai seemed to be intrigued by her voice, the language she spoke. Algren nodded and relaxed somewhat now that he saw she was calm. He was pushed roughly to a horse as Anna calmed slightly more. She didn't know where they were going, she was just thankful to be alive for another second. After a moment she noticed the leader speaking to the yellow samurai beside him, and then nodding. The yellow samurai did so also respectfully, his eyes falling onto her and studying her for a moment. The leader turned promptly, mounting his horse and riding over in some direction… General Hasegawa?

Anna pushed herself up until she was sitting, unable to believe that the General was alive. She instantly didn't believe this was fair- of course, she was glad he was alive. This was a respectable man that had helped them by giving them valuable information; but him living while Grant died? The General and the leader of the samurai exchanged a few words, before the leader bowed his head in agreement with something.

As surprising as the first time, Anna was pulled to her feet; but with less force than Ujio had inflicted. She was facing the yellow samurai, who wore a type of yellow head band over his top knot. It was now, that was face to face with him, that she noticed how attractive he was. But she didn't really care; he was one of them. A samurai; the enemy.

She continued to sob and tears continued to fall. He sighed and turned her around gently, leading her towards the samurai army. A chill ran down her spine at the sight of them, and a knot formed deep in the pits of her stomach. The yellow samurai was holding her up just enough to keep her on her feet as he guided her through the crowd. Well, the way things were looking now, she would need to get used to these people's ways… At least until she could form a plan to escape them.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

**A/N: Thanks again for the reviews! I really hope you guys enjoy this; so leave me a review so I'll know. Thanks, it means a lot to me! Oh, and a special thanks to AngelesRose, the first one to review the past couple chapters; plus giving me some good tips. Thanks!**

Anna was lost. Mentally, physically, emotionally; any way that you could imagine, misplaced. Vanished. Every ounce of herself she poured into surviving back at the battlefield, some hundred yards away. It was still shockingly real to her; she could still see the blood in front of her. And that wasn't because she was surrounded by samurai.

She was riding horseback with the yellow samurai, her mind shut down. She couldn't really comprehend anything; didn't understand where they were going. Their language was a slur to her now, although if someone tried to talk to her in English it would probably be much the same. Her hands hadn't been tied; unlike Algren, who had been bound as tightly as possible with a leather rope by Ujio. She didn't know why she wasn't; only that she wasn't planning on being chained. What if she ran away? Well, she really didn't have any energy, and if she did, she knew she would be taken down by arrows; and the fact that she was a woman might have helped. That fact was helping her now more than ever…

They were in line behind Katsumoto, the samurai leader. Anna had heard many of the samurai address him, and could soon say it herself (although she didn't let the samurai know that fact… Actually, they didn't know much of her at all). He and General Hasegawa were leading the line; which consisted of them, Anna and the yellow samurai, Ujio, and a few more samurai. The rest of the army had been left at the battle site; leaving Anna to worry about Algren although she knew they would be fine.

They were trekking through a beautiful mountain forest, with the sun shining and creating elaborate patterns of shadows on the forest floor. These were actually what Anna found herself focusing on as they made their way through. It was like making images out of passing clouds; except they were more defined and changed little with the wind. If she would look up the side of the mountain she would see a breath-taking sight; the trees blanketing the surface of the mountain as soft pastel colors dotted the deep evergreen of the trees. The beautiful and natural Japan; proving that what she saw before was just a taste of its real power. England had cultivated so much and there was almost no land left; but Japan was so open and exquisite.

It was quiet, and Anna was unbelievably glad that the sounds of death were over; yet, was scared of the ocean of silence that now surrounded her. Nervousness clawed at her stomach somewhere back in her body, back where she could feel what was going on. Algren was still unconscious with the rest of the army, which worried Anna. She had watched the army disappear behind the thick forest that they had made their way into; and without the captain there, Anna was actually afraid for her future. What would it mean if they separated them?

They stopped in a small clearing, similar to the one the battle had taken place in. The handful of samurai dismounted their horses; leaving Anna confused as to what was going on. The yellow samurai followed the lead of the others, and Anna gazed longingly at the ground. She didn't want to be on this horse. She didn't want to be riding it bareback, and she certainly didn't want to be anywhere near these people at the moment. But it wasn't her decision to make now; she had already messed up her life bad enough. She clutched the midnight colored steed's mane in her hands, as if it would prevent her from falling. Apparently she wasn't invited to go with the samurai; since the yellow samurai merely turned and gave her a stern look to warn her of running. She didn't think she would.

General Hasegawa and Katsumoto made their way to the center of the clearing, as the rest of the samurai made a semi-circle around them. It looked as if there would be a performance going on, although it was unknown to Anna that it was an almost ancient tradition that was a huge part of the samurai bushido and system. She watched curiously as Hasegawa kneeled onto his knees, and Ujio poured a liquid onto Katsumoto's exposed sword. Hasegawa unbuttoned his shirt, and seconds later produced a small but lethal looking sword. Hasegawa plunged the sword into his exposed stomach, making a slicing motion for a moment and then not another sound. She gasped and could see him straining from what had to be enormous pain; but he still didn't even letting out a wisp of air. After a moment Katsumoto raised his sword and swiftly decapitated Hasegawa.

Anna closed her eyes tightly, biting her lip with a force she hadn't before. She was tired of seeing so many lives ended, and in such a disgusting way. Algren may be able to handle this for however long they would be trapped here in this mess, but Anna was questioning how long she would be able to last. She believed this was just another barbaric act that kept pushing the urgency of her escape to soar.

…

Katsumoto stared over the land of his son's village, particularly looking past a cluster of houses to a field in the distance. The flowing meadow transitioned from golden to a yellow-green, and it was sprinkled with flowers of soft pinks, blues, and lavenders. The morning mist was just barely levitating above the grassland, causing the magical look that Katsumoto so much appreciated in his country. Although he had seen it many times, it was just as striking as the first time he had ever seen it. This particular evening, he was in deep thought and waiting for his son, Nobutada, to arrive.

These westerners were so confusing to him. He had thought that he knew at least a part of their world, but he had no clue. The minute he saw that woman in the army… These people _are_ aliens. But Katsumoto now had a tougher problem to handle; what was he supposed to do with these new 'hostages'? The passes were about to freeze over, and they wouldn't opened again until late spring. He had so much to learn…

"Father?" Katsumoto turned as his train of thought was disrupted, laying eyes on his son. It was the 'yellow samurai' who Anna had ridden back to the village with. Yet, even though his thoughts seemed to be killed, as he saw his son's face it was as if he had found the answer.

"Ah, my son… I have an assignment for you." Katsumoto informed him, as Nobutada's face lit with interest. "You'll be looking after one of the westerner's." He explained. "The girl."

Nobutada's face instantly formed into a look of surprise and also slight disappointment. He had to respect his father's decision for such things; but there were other, lower ranked samurai who could do the same thing he was being asked to do. He kept his mouth shut, but there would be no avoiding Katsumoto's senses.

"As protection Nobutada; they are both valuable to us, but she is the most vulnerable." Katsumoto told him sympathetically, noticing that this raised his son's spirits slightly. He decided to continue. "This is an important job that I trust _you_ with. Remember, the warriors on the frontline are not always the most important."

…

Anna's eyes slowly opened, the blurred space pouring around her. She groaned softly and tightly shut them again. Her ears strained to hear the sounds of her maids footsteps, walking around the large house and gathering supplies to make breakfast. Instead, she opened her eyes and realized that her back was sore because she had been sleeping on a bamboo mat on the floor.

A wave of terror hit her as all the memories from the day before came rushing back to her. She could tell it was the worst day of her life; but then again she did live, but that might be more of a curse than it would a blessing. The blood, the fear, the death, the look of terror on the dead soldiers faces, the expressions of unfathomable pain… Without warning the strong nausea struck and she instantly became sick all over the side of the neatly kept wooden floor beside the bamboo mat. Everything became dark once more.

The beautiful stars in the deep velvet sky winked down onto Anna as she opened her eyes. She was forced to close them once more. Even they pounded with pain; and the rest of her body ached agonizingly. She thought she was about to cry; but the sudden jerking motion of her sobs lit her very bones on fire. Of course this repeated a few times, as the sting worsened her sobs became more violent, and the cycle continued until she finally realized that she had to stop herself before she couldn't take anymore. Her bouncing chest finally settled, and her flailing limbs came to a rest; as she lay still and waited for it all to stop. Her dirty cheeks were stained with tears and she just wanted to rip her bones through her skin… But her fatigue was finally too much to resist, and she drifted off to sleep once more.

Golden rays of sun danced on the dark oak flooring. Anna had no idea how long she had been out this time… What felt like hours could be days, or a mere few minutes. All Anna knew was that she was still in this wretched place; and her head throbbed unbearably. It felt as if someone had struck her with an axe as she sat up, wondering why she even bothered. Maybe it would be better if she just died in this place. If it ended her misery.

She was still wearing the uncomfortable men's uniform she had been given… The itchy and inexpensive fabric had rubbed her skin raw in different places. She noticed that the mess from her previous terror attack had been cleaned by someone, and was now looking as neat and perfect as it had before. Perfect; sickeningly perfect was how that room was. Like these people hadn't slaughtered innocent men.

Anna jumped with paranoia as the paper sliding door opened. A beautiful Japanese woman entered, and even though she looked guiltless enough, Anna couldn't find it within herself to trust her. She was carrying a tray, and gave Anna a very small upturn of one of the corners of her mouth in sympathy. She remained silent though, and gracefully sank to her knees beside Anna. As she did this, the tray's contents were revealed: a bowl of rice, another bowl of a steaming broth, and an empty cup. At first Anna was suspicious of poisoning; but then realized that her hunger greatly surpassed any suspicions she could conjure. And their leader, this Katsumoto, had said he needed her and Algren… Wait, Algren; where was he!

Anna continued to watch the Japanese woman carefully as she picked up a small pitcher of something, and proceeded to pour warm tea into the empty cup. While she was bent Anna tried to look over the woman's shoulder and out into the rest of the containment she was in; but was unsuccessful. All that was in her sights was a large room of some sort; or at least a portion of it.

By the time she was done surveying what she could of the structure, the woman was already finished with preparing what Anna assumed would be her meal. She couldn't remember the last time she ate, and the aching pain in her stomach was reminding her of this fact. Anna glanced at the Japanese woman for a moment, and then awkwardly reached for the bowl of rice. She noticed a pair of chopsticks, which she had only a little experience with. She contemplated how to use them while taking an occasional glimpse of the silent woman a few feet away from her.

An unfamiliar voice sounded from the doorway, causing a cold tremble to run down her spine. It was a masculine tone; not deep, but oddly vague… "Taka," Anna couldn't help but look up to see the dignified figure of the yellow samurai, Nobutada, dressed in the same blue kimono. She instantly looked away; she didn't want to have any reminders of what had happened before. Apparently this man didn't care. "She's awake?"

Taka didn't answer him at first; staring at the tray with a look that seemed as if she were asking herself if Nobutada had any common sense or not. She finally acknowledged him as she stood with poise. "Yes, she's fine." She said softly, and Nobutada stepped aside to create an exit from the room. He stood silent for a few moments after Taka left, studying Anna; before turning himself and leaving. The door remained open.

…

Anna had finished her meal not long after. She didn't take the time to be polite and follow all the etiquette rules. She didn't realize how deep her hunger was until she began to eat, and found herself on a rampage that she couldn't stop. Finally, when she ran out of tea, she collapsed back onto the bamboo mat and slept the best she had in a long time… Although it would have been a horrible night of twisting and turning for any normal person sleeping in their own bed.

Blood curling screams caused Anna to jump awake. She had managed to dream of nothing but darkness and only a few of the haunting faces; but they were still haunting, nonetheless. Her eyes widened fearfully; she didn't want to put up with the horrible, darkening sounds of the world; _ever_ again. The worst part was that she recognized the voice entirely: Algren.

His cries of terror echoed through Anna's entire body, and she began to shake uncontrollably. Tears ran down her face as she whimpered from beneath the blanket. She covered her ears but the horrid sounds wouldn't stop… Anna didn't know what she would do if Algren died and left her here alone. Although she hadn't seen him, she knew he was somewhere within the same house; she had heard him a few times before. But she didn't know if she could take his death too.

…

The now consistent voices of Nobutada and, although any other person this age would be tumbling around, a remarkably balanced young boy of about three or four poured through the now normally opened paper door and into Anna's room. She moaned slightly and rolled over, the images before her a blur for a moment or two before her eyes began to finally focus. The picture before her was a common one; of the young boy playing with Nobutada, but this seemed different somehow… Anna sat up to study the two.

The young boy was bouncing up and down on his toes, filling every empty second with a question for the yellow samurai. Anna decided to listen to them; her past unknown amount of time in the town had been spent worrying and thinking of the horrid possibilities that the ending could be. The little boy's musical voice sung out once more.

"Nobu; I wanna to go outside!" The boy said excitedly, but Nobutada shook his head disapprovingly. Anna could tell from the back of the boy's small head that he was now frowning.

Nobutada used the same calm, disciplined voice that Anna had heard close to every moment she was awake now. "I can't, I have to stay here. Play with Higen."

"Why?" The little boy whined, hopping a few times to emphasize his word. Anna couldn't help but giggle a tiny bit, causing Nobutada to look up at her curiously. His gaze lingered on her, which scared her into letting her hand fly over her mouth as if she had made a big mistake… Yet Nobutada ignored this and leaned back down to whisper something in the boy's ear, who in turn shook his head fiercely. Nobutada gave him a slightly stern look and nudged him; and finally the boy began to walk in the direction of Anna's room.

"Will…" The boy paused, looking back at Nobutada and then back to Anna as if it would give him inspiration. "Will you come outside and play with me? Please?" The boy asked, surprising both Anna and the stunned Nobutada. He would have never guessed that Magojiro would be so trusting…

"I-I'm sorry, I can't." Anna replied slowly, giving a fearful glance towards Nobutada.

The small boy relayed this information to Nobutada, who shrugged slightly. "I guess you can go with Higen then; I have to stay here." Who was Higen?

The boy turned back to Anna, his deep brown pools of eyes getting big with what could turn into tears. It struck a deep chord in her heart, even if he was one of 'them'. Apparently she was the reason that Nobutada wouldn't leave the house; unless if she went too… Why? After being stuck in a room studying for years, her curiosity of the world got the best of her now. She stood up and sighed, her balance a little lost from not standing for lord knows how long. "I guess."

The boy squealed with delight and scampered out the door, followed by a very reluctant Anna. What could she be getting herself into? Well, if she did want to escape this place, she needed to know what kind of holding she was in; how to plan the get-away. Yet, she continued to watch her back carefully; wary of the man she didn't know trailing behind her.

…

"So… What's your name?" Anna asked curiously, trekking up a hill alongside the tiny boy beside her. The boy was carrying two large sticks shaped like katanas; a wooden sword, she guessed you could call it. Anna didn't plan on using one, but making conversation didn't hurt. This boy was the only person she could bring herself to talk somewhat normally to.

The boy looked over his shoulder; although his line of sight was blocked by the two large weapons he was lumbering. "Magojiro!" He answered excitedly and proudly, as if it would win him a large prize by doing so. Nobutada smirked; when he was older Magojiro would be warned against such needless enthusiasm to a stranger; at least if Ujio were still alive by that time. "What's yours?" Magojiro returned, barely slowing himself down to keep up with her. He would jump and skip occasionally, to get the overwhelming energy out but still stay within a good walking distance. Nobutada couldn't help but think he was trusting people too easily… Or at least young women.

"Anna," She replied, too noticing how quickly this boy accepted her. Maybe she could find some place of peace in this dark place…

"Anna?" Magojiro said crisply, and Anna nodded. He laughed with triumph, as Anna was impressed with how he pronounced it so easily. She could hear the samurai behind her, on the other hand, struggling with the word on his tongue as he tried a few times under his breath.

"Ana," Nobutada murdered, causing Anna to look back at him with a questioning but barely cold look. The young man looked in deep thought until he believed he had perfected it. "Anna? Is that it?" Anna nodded; though she didn't speak to him. She'd rather not talk to him; he was the one who had to bring her here, whether it was on orders or not.

Magojiro let out a cry of enthusiasm as they reached the top of the hill, darting across the lush grass to meet some of the other children at the center. Anna looked after him nervously, not exactly wanting him to leave. He had been the only thing keeping her from darting away herself… You couldn't exactly go crazy in front of a kid; what kind of an example would that be?

"Don't be afraid," The samurai finally spoke, as he kept a watchful eye on Magojiro wrestle playfully with some of the other children his size, "I can't hurt you; I have to protect you."

"Is that so?" Anna asked, working up the courage to finally speak to the man without skipping a beat.

"I have orders."

"So you didn't choose to."

"Why would I?" The samurai hadn't exactly seemed eager ever since he had to be around her in the first place… And frankly, Anna didn't really want to be around him either. Yet, she still relaxed somewhat at the information that she had, to some extent, a body guard. Who apparently knew how to speak their mind. Anna liked a good debate or two, if it was with the right person with the right amount of knowledge. Anna had a gut feeling that this man was not one of them.

"What's your name then, yellow samurai?" Anna had kept track of every samurai she came in contact with by armor color; although many of them were wearing blue kimonos similar to what this one was wearing.

"Nobutada," He answered clearly and confidently, with a small smirk on his face as he was called 'yellow samurai'. After a few moments he took his eyes off of Magojiro to look at Anna. She stood there for a few minutes, forcing flooding memories of her childhood to the back of her mind. She couldn't think of that right now; especially after everything emotional… It would make her look weak if she broke down; although she would probably collapse again if she did.

"Katsumoto." She merely stated, staring off into the distance in Magojiro's direction.

"What?"

"Your leader, is that his name?" Anna repeated, her eyes back on the pretend games the little offspring were playing; probably pretending they were emperor and knights or something along those lines.

"My father? Yes, Katsumoto." Nobutada answered, and Anna was surprised to hear those words leave his mouth.

"Your father?"

"Yes, my father… I own this village." He added, crossing his arms arrogantly. Anna couldn't tell if he was serious or not, so said nothing in response as not to offend him… But she did know that this was quite a surprising factor added to her luck.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

**A/N: Thanks again for the reviews you guys! Your encouragement helps me write better than before… Especially when I've owed you an update for about a month! I'm really sorry about that; I've been on a lot of vacations in the past month and none of them had the internet; except for one hotel and this one couple was always on. Anyways, moving on from rude couples, I'm glad you guys haven't given up on me! That means a lot ;). So, I should be moving on, right?**

…

Golden sunshine poured through the window and formed squares of light on the wooden floor. One of these shapes crept towards the edge of Anna's dress, moving from the slowly rising sun. Anna was wearing a blue kimono, which would probably be comfortable if the whole idea wasn't so foreign to her. Yet, anything was luxurious compared to the soldiers' uniform she used to wear. She had actually begun to sleep soundly for a few hours straight, and it was the first time in a long time she had been able to do so. But she couldn't help but wring her hands worriedly every time she peered through the crack and into Algren's room.

As far as she knew, he hadn't awakened yet. Well, to where he was actually functioning on a normal level. Not that being held captive in a completely strange village was normal; but from what Anna understood from bits of Taka and Nobutada's conversations, Algren hadn't staid conscious for more than five or ten minutes. She hoped he would be alright… If he died, her chances of escaping quickly were instantly slimmed. Not to mention that he was the only person here that she trusted. But she seemed to be handling it alright so far.

Through all of this, Anna didn't notice that there was a new visitor to the home. He had called Nobutada's name a few times from outside; but when he rendered no response, he didn't stop himself from sliding open the front door and stepping in himself. Nobutada himself had been leaning contentedly against the wall, both hands resting in their opposite sleeves. He had been dozing until his senses caught the door opening, where his eyes opened quickly and he became alert.

"Nobutada," Ujio barked to him, slightly angry that he had been ignored when the young man had only been a few feet from the door. The elder samurai gestured for Nobutada to come and speak to him, and the younger kicked off the wall in reply. He approached the hot headed man curiously, having an idea of what he might say: something about the westerners, no doubt. He was right; in a way.

"Katsumoto would like to see the girl.. He says she will be of help to us." Ujio explained, taking a quick glance over the living area that was within view. By this time Anna had heard a few words, and had appeared at the end of the hall to see what was going on. Ujio's eyes hardened and turned cold the moment he saw her, turning promptly and walking through the still opened door. He had been sent to deliver a message, and that was what he had done. He wasn't going to waste his time with some foolish girl when he could be training.

Nobutada turned and approached Anna, a peaceful expression on his face although he had witnessed the quick but tensioned moment between her and Ujio. And even though he could tell she had heard the conversation, he continued to inform her as if Ujio spoke a completely different form of Japanese. "My father would like to speak to you," He told her, as she eyed him warily. She really didn't want to go right now; especially now that she knew how one of the older samurai felt about her. _Would_ she be safe with Nobutada? Then again, would his father assign him to her if she wouldn't? But then again, it may have been political… She only wanted to go to the hill, where the children played. She guessed that somewhere deep down in her she believed that they could be different when they're adults. Not murders, but they might actually do something in life. Nobutada gave her a similar look. "Today; not next lifetime."

…

The beautiful landscape was framed by a sky of grey clouds. Anna's pace involuntarily quickened, and hurried the calm and collected Nobutada. His gait was leisurely, giving the world around him an occasional glance with a hint of admiration. He had lived here most of his life, and he never lost his love for it; or took it for granted. Anna wasn't one to hate the rain; but she didn't feel like getting drenched with the unfamiliar rain at the moment. This rain made things so cold and distant, more so than usual. And those clouds overhead kept getting more and more ominous looking… But Nobutada didn't seem to notice at all.

Nobutada only accelerated his steps slightly, as he led her down paths that wound around the village. It was relatively close to the small town, and between the various wooden houses, she could see fleeting images of the inside workings of the village. Deep evergreen colored trees lined the other side of the path, with a few young trees peeking up between the path and the houses. Stunning flowery blooms were slowly starting to fall to the ground, littering the forest floor beside them with pastel petals. Anna now understood why Nobutada looked at them so proudly every now and then. The scenery was a gorgeous mask to the true intentions of these people. Or at least what Anna _believed_ were the true intentions.

What felt like mere seconds later, the two had come upon a decently sized shrine. It overlooked a spacey and mysterious-persona field, which was sprinkled with wildflowers and blew gently in the soft breeze. Nobutada continued up the delicately carved steps without hesitation, leaving Anna to follow him slowly and cautiously; as if their roles had suddenly been switched from a few moments before. He stopped at the door and turned to look at her, waiting patiently for her to catch up with him once more before he continued inside.

The inside of the temple was the most striking feature of all. Although the outside may be intimidating; the inside was nothing less than speech taking. She had seen pictures of others, of course, but nothing compared to how it felt in person. Gold seemed to sparkle everywhere, although it had only been used in small amounts and was spread throughout the room. Anna was not a Buddhist, or Taoist, or anything else that might be native in this area… But she could already feel a strong connection of spirituality that lingered thickly in the atmosphere.

Nobutada led her to the center of the shrine, before what Anna assumed was a golden Buddha. Katsumoto was kneeling on the floor, obviously very deep in thought. He was muttering faithful prayers to the gods he believed in. As soon as he was finished moments later, Nobutada gave him a respectful bow. Apparently he understood the mumbling under his father's breath. Anna didn't mirror this but merely observed; trying to absorb everything her senses were telling her.

Katsumoto bowed his head gratefully to the two, patiently ignoring the fact that Anna didn't honor him with a bow of respect in return. She didn't know any better; but yet, she claimed to know all this Japanese… These westerners were so strange. He stood, his stare powerful and commanding the complete attention of the two. With a small and soft nod Katsumoto welcomed Anna.

"Has you stay been enjoyable?" Katsumoto spoke to her as if she were a valued guest at a hotel. This fact upset her slightly; she was sure that he did such a thing on purpose: as if teasing her for being captive. In reality, he wasn't.

"I have been in better situations." Anna replied in a dry manner, crossing her arms across her chest in a subconscious defensive manner. She wasn't going to be talked down to and mocked as if she were some kind of worthless being; at least, until weapons became involved. Nobutada gave her a warning look, as if telling her to be careful of her limits.

Katsumoto merely chuckled at her response. "I'm sure you have. I hope you become comfortable here soon; the passes have frozen and you will be here until spring." He notified her, and there was a ring in his voice as though he would be glad she would be stuck in this place for so long. Anna's heart sank at the news. What were they planning to do with her to keep her here? "But that is business for another time. Tell me, fair girl, what is your name?" Katsumoto was speaking so… _politely_. Anna paused before answering him.

"My name is Anna Harper. I am the translator for Nathan Algren, the other man-" Anna didn't mention that they were being held captive. For one, Katsumoto already knew the situation. And if she did say such a thing, she wasn't really in the mood to be outnumbered by a handful of angry samurai. A quarter of a samurai could outnumber her; and she knew it. She would have to tread carefully here. Although it was the truth, Anna wasn't about to risk her life on a single immature statement to prove how brave she was.

"Anna Harper…" Katsumoto, like Nobutada, had some trouble learning to say her name. He repeated it quietly to himself twice, before trying on Algren's on his tongue. He muttered the man's name and turned his attention back to the girl in front of him. "It's nice to meet you." He spoke in somewhat broken English, but the sound still caused hairs to stand on the back of Anna's neck. How did he know? "My name is Katsumoto."

"You… Speak English." Anna said aloud, still shocked at the fact. How was she supposed to communicate with Algren now; without them knowing what they were saying? It had been her whole plan to speak to him in English so they would have an element of surprise, however they decided to escape. Obviously the tables had been turned. An amused smirk crossed Nobutada's face, slightly entertained at her expression.

"Yes, some." Katsumoto replied with a nod, proud that she had been able to understand what he had been telling her. "But it's not perfect. I need the teachings of someone experienced." He explained, as Anna eyed him curiously. There was a moment where the wheels in her head turned, trying to comprehend what he had said. The sudden transition of English to Japanese in the middle of a sentence stumped her for a moment, but she was quickly back on track. She did have a feeling as to what direction this was going in… "You have much experience with English, am I correct?" He sounded as if he was speaking to himself his own train of thought.

There was another moment of silence as Anna reluctantly answered. "Yes…"

"Then you wouldn't mind teaching me your language?" Katsumoto had asked a question he already knew the answer to. Anna nodded hesitantly. What more could she do? The fear of punishment for saying no was enough… And he probably knew that she felt this way. Katsumoto bowed his head to her briefly before continuing. "I have important business to attend to," He informed them, and the relieving thoughts that she might actually be able to leave the temple flooded Anna's mind. "Thank you." He said in English, as Nobutada bowed to him from the waist. Anna copied this to some extent, but was quickly returning to her full height in a matter of a few seconds.

…

The wooden steps outside the temple seemed to have doubled in size since the time they had seen them last. Anna had some trouble following Nobutada, who glided down them in ease. She had been having trouble walking in these Japanese sandals on flat ground; much less down four foot high stairs. She ended up pulling up the edge of her kimono so she could see her feet, concentrating hard and knitting her eyebrows. Nobutada stopped at the bottom of the stairs to wait on her, not with a scowl on his face like she had expected; but rather an entertained expression. Their eyes only met for a moment before she turned her attention back to the village ahead of her. He was intimidating, Nobutada; and it didn't even feel like he was trying.

After a few paces, Nobutada looked back to her. His eyes trailed over to the village, where she was clearly struggling to focus her attention on. His own gaze moved to the busy happenings of the streets, and then back to the fair haired girl's intrigued look. It shouldn't hurt anything… "Do you want to go?" He asked, receiving a confused look from the girl. He gestured to the dirt roads in the town that were not that far from their path. "Inside the village, would you like to see it?"

Anna turned back to the small stream of people who walked on the main road through the village. It sure was interesting, and she would like to see it… But there were samurai in there, and what if she came across that black samurai again? This _Ujio_? He had been the most frightening of all to Anna; without any mercy or compassion at all for anyone. But then again, Nobutada had to protect her, whether or not he chose to. "I… guess." She answered finally, causing a pleased smile to cross Nobutada's features.

Good, it is a great place." He merely explained, wasting no time on foolish hesitation as he promptly turned and strolled between two wooden establishments and towards the busy area.

…

The inside of the village was more fascinating than Anna had expected. Then again, everything in this place seemed to be so different and breath taking. Well, most of the things. It was as if it were its own little world; untouched by anything else on the Earth. It couldn't compare to any other experience that Anna had, or anything she had seen. It was amazing.

People of all ages were lingering about, shopping with large woven baskets or just out for a walk. Every person had something set on their mind; a goal for the day and their lives. It was mind blowing how determined some of them were. They seemed so disciplined; the black smiths who sat outside their houses and pounded swords and arrows or the men who sat on their porches and carved out furniture that would one day be for sale. Anna's eyes were wide and accepting to everything detail she could soak in.

This of course, continued until the village actually noticed her. It was suddenly silent, except for the gasping of some women. The whispers weren't what bothered Anna; it was the silence that stung the worst. The cold stare that the men and some of the civilians gave her; one of sheer hate. Some of them looked at her in fear, shutting their doors and closing their windows so there was no possible way she could see inside. Mother's hid their children, scooping them up and hurrying them to safety. The looks she received made her nauseous, an awkward feeling creeping through her.

She wasn't worth anything. She was a monster to these people; and those who didn't think this thought she was scum. She didn't deserve to set foot a mile within the village, much less speak to their extremely respected leader. So what was she doing here, with Nobutada-sama? The important head of their village? She wasn't worthy, and Anna could feel every inch of these thoughts as their eyes bore into her; whether it was from their porch or through a crack in their wall.

"Nobutada…" When there came no reply to her soft words, she tugged on his sleeve gently. She didn't want to touch him; she didn't know him and frankly didn't exactly like him either. But he was her only way out of here at the present; and she didn't know how long she would be able to last in these conditions. He looked down at her curiously in return, raising an eyebrow. "Take me home."

"What? Why?" Nobutada looked around him, noticing a few icy glares in their direction. He tried to ignore them, but they continued to worry Anna. And he could tell; it was hard to ignore a trembling girl beside of you.

"Please?"

They were back at Anna's 'home' in a matter of a few minutes.

…

**A/N: Once again; sorry for the delay! I'm going to be a lot more active now, so don't worry, kay? I appreciate all the reviews!**


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